Lidl plans to open a store in EHT.
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP Downbeach shoppers may have a new place to buy groceries next year in a location just over the Margate Bridge.
Lidl US announced plans Tuesday, Aug. 25 to open 50 new stores by the end of 2021. In addition to store openings from New York to Virginia, one of the openings will be in on Egg Harbor Township. The new stores will bring Lidl's total number of stores to more than 150.
It is likely that the new store will open at the former JR's Fresh, formerly Genuardi's, on Fire Road near Tilton Road.
Lidl said in a release that it would invest more than $500 million in the new stores and will create about 2,000 new jobs with competitive wages and a benefits package that includes healthcare insurance for all full and part-time employees.
A study from UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School noted that Lidl's pricing is up to 45% lower than nearby national grocers.
It's leading competition in the area will be the new Walmart Super Center on the Black Horse Pike and Fire Road, about a quarter mile away.
Earlier this month, the National Retail Federation ranked Lidl as the top retailer in its Hot 100 Retailers list of fastest-growing companies. Lidl opened its third regional headquarters and distribution center in Cecil County, Maryland, earlier this year to support its store network. It plans to open its fourth distribution center in Covington, Georgia over the next two years.
Lidl operates more than 11,000 stores in 32 countries, employing about 287,000 employees globally. It specializes in quality fresh produce, meat, bakery items and a wide array of household products at the lowest possible prices.
Lidl first established its U.S. headquarters in Arlington County, Virginia, in June 2015, and today has more than 100 stores in nine East Coast states. The nearest Lidl store in South Jersey is located in Vineland.
For more information, visit www.Lidl.com.
